UK P&I CLUB

LP News
JANUARY 2009

Understanding mooring incidents

Major accidents involving mooring equipment in the last 20 years have injured
many seafarers and have cost the UK Club over US$34 million

Many of these accidents have occurred during the

handling of ropes/wires, where ropes/wires have parted
(53%) or where ropes/wires have jumped/slipped off
drum ends/bitts (42%) with 5% caused by actual
equipment failure (see pie chart below centre).
Parted ropes/wires normally occur during general
mooring, tug and ship to ship operations with equipment
failure, misuse, wash damage and weather also playing

a role. Injuries from non parted ropes/wires normally

occur due to crew being caught up in ropes/wires and
ropes wires slipping off and becoming jammed on drum
ends during normal mooring operations (see pie charts).
Whilst mooring injuries are the seventh most frequent
cause of personal injuries in the Club they are the third
most expensive per claim indicating how horrific some
of these injuries can become.

Types of incidents resulting in personal injury

Equipment failure
5%

Hit by non parted ropes/wires

42%

Caught up in
ropes/wires
20%
Slipped off/
jammed on
equipment
20%

Hit by parted ropes/wires

53%

Non parted

Parted

Equipment
misuse/failure

Wash
10%

Ship to ship
3%

6%
Mooring
general
60%

Weather
related
10%
Tug operation related
13%

Mooring
general
58%

The worrying statistic is the apparent increase in

number and value of these claims over the past 9 years
(see graph below).

A risk assessment should be made of all mooring areas

on board; looking at the space with a view of purposely
searching for hazards that may cause injury. Mooring
areas naturally contain many trip hazards, and
highlighting these is a good starting point.

18
16
14
12
10
%
8
6
4
2
0
19

Risk assessment of mooring

stations

Hazard highlighting

87

19

90

19

93

19

95

19

97

Number %

19

99

20

01

20

03

20

05

Value %

Injuries from mooring incidents

Eye, Foot , Thigh,

Ankle, Wrist 1%

Pelvis 2%
Face 3%
Chest 3%

Leg 23%

Hand 3%
Shoulder 3%
Knee 3%

Arm 7%

Death 14%

Head 7%
Multiple injury 11%

Back 14%

Physical hazards to be highlighted should not be

limited to bulkhead frames, mooring bits, pedestal
fairleads and cleats. It should also include structures
such as platforms at the windlass and hawse pipe
covers.

Poor and potentially unsafe mooring area

example

Mooring station with effective hazard markings

Unfortunately this photo illustrates a sight sometimes

experienced by the UK Club ship inspectors. Not only
are the windlasses rusty and poorly maintained, but the
mooring area as a whole suggests poor safety and
maintenance standards on board:

The mooring area is dirty and all surfaces are in need

of maintenance.

All surfaces are painted the same colour, hiding trip

hazards such as save-alls, windlass platforms,
forecastle access hatch and bitts.

There are no hazard highlightings or warning

markings.

Maintenance
An A/B was seriously hurt when a roller fairlead
detached from its pedestal whilst under the influence
of a mooring line under tension. The A/B was standing
in the snap-back zone and was struck by the rope,
which hurled him into the foremast causing head
injuries.

Highlighting hazards is particularly important for the

safety of crew that are new to the vessel, cadets and
other trainees, and visitors. It is also important for the
benefit of experienced crew who easily become
complacent, tired, or too busy in their work to not
notice a hazardous situation developing.
The following images illustrate how effective hazard
highlighting can be, when compared with a mooring
station that is simply well painted.

The rope hurled the roller fairlead 20 feet from the ship
to the quayside.
The angle or directional lead of a rope should be
considered when using leads in order to prevent
incidents like this. But this particular incident also
highlights the importance of proper maintenance of
mooring equipment.
Do not forget to include in the maintenance schedule
the checking of all grease nipples on mooring
equipment (deck machinery) to ensure the nipples
remain usable. It is a good idea to highlight grease
nipples in order to prevent them from being overlooked.

Well painted but poorly highlighted mooring station

Not only should moving parts be greased, and surfaces

suitably coated, but metal that is wasted should be

replaced and not simply painted

over.
The image (left) shows a pedestal
fairlead that is well maintained.
There is evidence that it has
recently been turned and greased
and the grease nipple on top is
highlighted.
In what condition is mooring equipment
on board your ships?
Mooring equipment
that has suffered
severe wastage will
not perform to the
certified standard.
This also applies to
the steel to which
the equipment is
welded. The image
shows mooring bitts
that are badly wasted. The deck is in equally bad
condition and there is a danger of the bitts being torn
from the deck.

Snap-back zones
The majority of serious incidents in mooring areas
involve parting lines!
Qualified seafarers are aware of the fact that a snapback zone exists when a mooring line is under tension.
It is, however, a rare thing to see crew taking this into
account when they are working mooring lines on deck.
Headline

Highlighting mooring line snap-back zones ensures that

crew can visibly see the danger areas without having
to purposely think about them while working.
When a line under tension parts, it will whip back to
the remaining point of tension.

Headline
Breastline

Point of
failure

If the line can travel back in a

straight line then it will do,
striking anything or anybody
in its path.

Point of
failure

If the taut line is lead around

a lead then it has the
potential to whip round in a
bigger arc, as illustrated in
the second diagram.
Spring

If snap-back zones are painted on the deck then crew

will be alerted to the danger when they notice they are
standing in a highlighted zone.
Painting these areas also helps supervising officers
instruct crew to keep clear when lines are coming
under tension.

Point of
restraint

Snap-back
zone

Point of
restraint

Pedestal
roller
old man

Snap-back
zone

Diagrams on this page from MCA Code of Safe Working Practice for Merchant Seamen

Awareness of bights
Trained deck hands understand the dangers of standing
within a bight or coil of rope and it is therefore
surprising that a significant number of personal injury
incidents during mooring operations involve seamen
doing just that.
The diagram forms part of an investigation report into
the death of an A/B who was dragged through a set of
bitts by a mooring line.
Deceased after
being pulled through
mooring bitts

Mooring bitts

Spring line

STARBOARD

PORT

Deceased before
accident

Diagrams on this page courtesy of Maritime New Zealand

Mooring winches

This incident also highlights procedural and awareness

issues because the mooring party forward informed the
bridge that all lines were clear when they were in fact
still in the water. Nobody noticed that as the vessel
was manoeuvring away from the berth, one of the lines
became snagged on one of the wharf buttresses.
The unfortunate seaman was recovering the line but
stepped in a bight of the
mooring line as it became
taut and was then dragged
through the bitts as the fouled
line ran from the vessel.

Bights dont always look like

bights. Here a seaman has
inadvertently stepped over
the line and put himself at risk

Who is at the mooring station?

Mooring operations are dangerous to
crew on board because of the great loads
that the mooring lines will carry, and the
danger of them breaking while taking up
this tension.

Only personnel involved in mooring operations should

be present at mooring stations during mooring

operations.
It should be policy on board that inexperienced
personnel such as cadets in the early stages of their
training, who are to be involved in mooring operations,
should be under the supervision and direction of an
experienced seafarer. Effectively, someone should be
appointed to ensure the safety of the inexperienced
person, and both should be aware of who is
undertaking that duty.
Everybody on board should be aware that only
personnel directly involved in mooring operations may
visit mooring stations during mooring operations. This is
best done with safety notices and implementation into
on board policies.
The number of crew found on board is often the
minimum required to safely operate the vessel.
Although some ships may find themselves stretched for
manpower, mooring operations should never be
undertaken with less crew than is considered
necessary to do the job safely.
There should always be a minimum of two people to
each mooring station throughout the operation. Even
where automatic mooring systems are installed, a
second person should always be present in case
something goes wrong.
Crew should not be allowed to operate a windlass or
capstan and handle the rope at the same time. This is a
two person job. Fixing a lanyard to an operating lever
and pulling on it from the rope-handling position should
strictly be forbidden. If only two crewmembers are on
deck for mooring operations then they should work
together on the lines at one end of the vessel and then
the other.

Incident!
A vessel moored alongside during cargo operations
was fully laden with her deck level below the dock
level. It was noticed from the quayside that the forward
spring was caught under a padeye located on the ships
side. The spring, a wire rope, was taut and there was
concern that in this position it might break.
An attempt was made to free the line by slacking and
hauling it on the windlass but due to the curvature of
the forward hull section, and the extremely long lead of
the spring line, it would not free. The line was heaved
taut in the hope that it might jerk free. When the line
did free itself the tension it was under caused it to
oscillate up and down, passing 5 feet inboard of the
ships rail and striking a young engineering apprentice
in the head.

The engineering apprentice was not involved in the

operation and nobody involved was aware of his
presence until after the accident. He was also not
wearing a hard hat.
In this incident the spring line had an extremely long
lead. A bollard was available closer to the bow of the
ship but this was not used. It was found that if the
nearer bollard had been used then the line would
probably still have become caught under the padeye,
but it is unlikely that it would have jumped inboard of
the ships rail upon freeing from the padeye.
This incident highlights the need for control over
people present at mooring stations, the wearing of PPE
and efficient mooring arrangements.

Mooring arrangements
Bad mooring arrangements can also be responsible for
claims for damage to cargo handling equipment, docks
and other structures. In these incidents it is often the
case that the vessel surged extremely or broke her lines
because of strong currents or the influence of passing
vessels.
The image below shows a vessel considerably
overhanging her berth. She is therefore unable to lead
any stern lines aft of the ship. The image shows one
line in particular being lead an extremely long distance,
rendering it pretty much useless.

The ship has correctly put out as many lines as possible

but should also consider the use of the anchor and
mooring lines running aft from either the main deck or
other suitable areas. In situations like this it is important
to analyse local tidal and weather patterns in order to
predict how the vessel will be affected. The vessel
owners should be informed and cargo operations
stopped (or not commenced) if conditions do not
appear safe.
The following image shows insufficient mooring
arrangements ashore and the vessel is forced to pay
out an extremely long lead on the stern lines. In this
event, the master should protest to the port authority,
take photos and inform the owners.

Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE)
When struck on the head
by a parting mooring line,
the wearing of a hard hat
will be the life or death
deciding factor. A hard hat
should be worn at all times
when involved in mooring
operations, as well as appropriate safety footwear and
boiler suit (or other protective full-length clothing).
It has been the general opinion on some vessels that
the wearing of gloves when handling mooring ropes is
an unsafe practice. This is due to concern that loose
gloves may become trapped under a line on a windlass
drum and haul the crewmember over it. Gloves should
be worn but crew need to be aware of the dangers
associated with ill-fitting gloves when handling ropes.

The photo below shows a chart that highlights the

compulsory PPE to be worn for various operations on
board. This can be devised on board and is a very
useful aid to crew when posted in changing rooms or
mess areas.

Mooring practices
Professional seafarers must be monitored during
mooring operations to ensure they do not become
complacent in their work; putting themselves and
others in a dangerous situation.

Deck officers monitoring mooring operations must be

actively watching for hazards and give instructions to
ensure hazards are controlled.
Mooring operations should be conducted in a safe
manner. In the image below:

The line on the windlass drum is being handled

safely. The crewmember at the drum is keeping his
hands clear of the turns and positioned so as not to
become fouled in coils of rope.

The crewmember operating the windlass has a good

line of sight of the rope and the man handling it.

Both crew are appropriately attired in correct

personal protective equipment.

Consult an on board seamanship manual for proper

seamanship practices.
Wire to rope
A rope mooring line should
never join a metal line
without the use of a thimble.
The condition of the rope and
wire in this example is poor
and the lack if a thimble
increases the likelihood of the rope breaking.
An eye in the end of a wire
If it is necessary to create an eye in the end of a wire,
then it would be worth investing in crimping equipment.
Many ships prefer the use of bulldog-grips for creating
an eye in the end of a wire rope, but there is a correct
way of doing this:

An allowance of 150 mm should be made between

the last bulldog grip and the end of the dead wire.
It is important to ensure that the lashing wires are
not cut short immediately next to the bulldog grips.

Correct use of stoppers

UK Club ship inspectors often notice when boarding
Club vessels, that stoppers have been left on lines
after they have been secured. This bad practice puts
unnecessary strain on the
stopper as the line
continues to tighten on
the bitts. It may also result
in the stopper rope
tightening to the point
where it cant be
released.
The second image (right) shows
a chain stopper setup for use
with polypropylene ropes. Only
rope stoppers should be used
with rope mooring lines; chain
stoppers are for use with wires.

Bulldog grips have a grooved surface in the bridge

piece which is suitable for a standard wire of righthand lay having six strands. Crosby grips have a
smooth surface in the bridge piece. The grips should
not be used with ropes of left-hand lay or of different
construction.

The first grip should be applied close to the thimble

or at the neck of the eye if a thimble is not used.

Other grips should be placed at intervals of at least

one clear grip (albeit a distance of six rope diameters
apart is suggested) between each other.

stowed off the deck and if possible away from

precipitation and direct sunlight. If baskets or other
storage devices are not available then ropes should be
coiled down on pallets (see below).

The grips must all face in the same direction and

must be fitted with the saddle or bridge applied to
the working or hauling part of the rope. The U-bolt
must be applied to the tail or dead-end of the rope. If
the grips are not applied as indicated above, the
effectiveness of the eye can be seriously affected.

Secure to bitts
Windlass drums are not designed for taking the weight
of mooring lines for a long period of time. If windlass
drums are used for this purpose then over a period of
time they will suffer damage and be in need of repair.

Ropes correctly stowed off deck

This windlass drum suffered bearing damage and is being

overhauled

Ropes badly stored on wet deck

Over time, ropes and wires will suffer wear and

damage and the general condition will be evident in the
rope as a whole. But a part of the rope may become
particularly damaged at any time and it is important to
check the rope at every opportunity.
Once ropes have been hauled tight they should be
secured to bitts as in the good example on the left

A visual inspection should be performed every time

before, during and after a rope has been used.

Care and maintenance of ropes

Flaking a rope on the deck ready for running is a good

opportunity to look for damage which a part of the rope
may have suffered, causing a weak point in the rope.

In order to preserve the usage life of ropes, ensure they

are protected from the elements and not subjected to
unnecessary chaffing.
Do not store ropes on wet decks. Ensure they are

A general visual inspection can also be performed by

the person handling the line on a windlass drum as it is
received, hand over hand.

UK P&I CLUB
IS MANAGED
BY THOMAS
MILLER

For further information please contact:

Loss Prevention Department, Thomas Miller P&I Ltd
Tel: +44 20 7204 2307. Fax +44 20 7283 6517
Email: lossprevention.ukclub@thomasmiller.com